What is it about?
This study examines whether emotional intelligence (EI) predicts sales performance among professionals working in Kuwait’s highly competitive automotive industry. Using a full population sample of 218 sales professionals from 24 car dealerships, the research compares two major EI approaches: an ability-based model (Assessing Emotions Scale) and a trait/mixed model (Effective Intelligence Scale). Sales performance was assessed using both objective indicators (percentage of sales target achieved) and supervisor-rated total sales performance. The findings reveal a weak and non-linear relationship between EI and sales performance, with some EI measures showing negative or null associations, while sales experience and age emerged as stronger predictors.
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Why is it important?
Challenges popular assumptions: Questions the widespread belief that higher emotional intelligence automatically leads to better sales performance. Theoretical refinement: Suggests that EI–performance relationships are context-dependent and non-linear, supporting moderator and compensatory models rather than simple linear effects. Methodological contribution: Demonstrates that different EI measures yield different conclusions, highlighting the importance of construct definition and measurement choice. Practical relevance: Warns organizations against relying solely on EI scores for selection and promotion decisions in sales roles, especially in high-pressure, high-competition environments.
Perspectives
Emotional intelligence is often promoted as a universal predictor of success at work. Our findings suggest a more nuanced reality. In demanding sales contexts, experience, job complexity, and performance criteria may matter more than emotional self-perceptions. Rather than asking whether EI matters, future research should ask when, how, and for whom it matters—and under what conditions it becomes an asset rather than a liability.
Prof. Othman H Alkhadher
Kuwait University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Relationships between emotional intelligence and sales performance in Kuwait, Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, January 2016, Colegio Oficial de Psicologos de Madrid,
DOI: 10.1016/j.rpto.2015.09.002.
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